Lamp receptacle



Patented Sept. 2, 1930 DANIEL LE FEVER, F SYRACUSE, NEW YORK, ASSIGNORTO'PASS & SEYMOUR, INQ, 0F SYBAGUSE, NEW YORK, ii. CORPORATION OF NEWYORK rater RECEP'EACLE Application filed October 11, 1927. Serial No.225,5?2.

This invention relates to lamp receptacles and more particularly toreceptacles for large size lamps,

lit is a general object of the present invention to provide a novel andimproved lamp receptacle.

More particularly it is an object of the invention to provide a novelform of center contact for lamp receptacles adapted to make betterelectrical contact with the lamp'ba'se and to prevent the lamp frombeing loosened in the base by vibrations or jars.

@ne of the features of the invention comprises a center contact ofcup-like form housing acoil'spring.

Another feature of the invention comprises a novel means of connectingthe center contact'and the current conductor for the same together andinterposing a spring between the two parts.

Other and further objects and features of the invention will be moreapparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of theaccompanying drawing and following specification wherein is disclosed asingle ex-' emplary embodiment of the invention with theunderstanding-that various changes may; be made the rein such as fallwithin the scope of the appended claims .without departing from thespirit of the invention.

In said drawing:

Fig. 1 is a front or face view of areceptacle constructed according tothe present invention;

Fig. 2 is a section on broken line 2.2' of Fig l;

ig. 3 is a rear view of the center contact and its current conductor;

Fig. 4 is a section on line 44; of Fig. 3," and, j Fig. 5 is aperspective view of the shown in Figs; 3 and 4,

Various forms of center contacts have been proposedfor lampreceptaclesand springs of various types have been used with more or lesssuccess.

The present invention provides a novel form of spring contact which isparticularly adapted to and has been showntfor use in connection withreceptacles for lamps havparts at 33 to pgovide the attaching en vnotused to prevent such action.

The present invention is shown as applied to a receptacle having a body10 formed of a single piece ofinsulating material such as c;

porcelain or the like, in which is provided a central recess 11 adaptedto receive the screw shell contact 12 secured in position by means ofthe screws 13 and elongated washers 14 overlying the chordal baseportions 15 .of this contact/ 'Ihe screws 13 pass through the insulatingbody portion and are received into the Y-shaped terminal member 16recessed in the back. of the insulating block and; carry ing theterminal screw 17. The center contact assembly is received in a recess19in the bottom of the recess 11 and is centrally arranged in the rib20,-at the bottom of the recess 11, whichpositions the screw shellcontact.

The center contact proper comprises a cuplike member 22 ofbrass or othersuitable conducting material having the circular contact face 23somewhat concave as shown in Fig. 4. This cup-like member may be made byi pressing, stamping, drawing, or the like and may be provided with theslits 24:to aid in itsrshaping. Extending from the open'end 25 of thiscup are a pair of diametrically opposed arms 26 forming extensions ofthe side walls of the cup. A coilspring 27 is received in the cup andhas one end abutting against the inner surface of the concave end 23.The cup is adapted to be attached to a center conact conductor 30, whichcomprises a strap 93 of conducting material provided at one end i withthe substantially circular disk-like portion 31. Extending from thisportion is the narrow portion which is bent substantially atright anglesat 32 and again at right angles 34 parallel to but oifset from thedisk-like portion 31, this end being provided with a hole 35. Thedisk-like portion'3lis of substantially the same diameter as theexternal diameter 109 of the cup 22 and is notched at two places as at36 to receive the arms 26.

The spring 27 is of such length that it must be compressed when the diskis applied and pressed between the arms 26. Theends of the arms are bentover as at 37 after assembling the parts, to fasten the cup and disctogether as clearly shown in Figs. 4 and 5.

The edges of the notches 36 prevent rotation of the center contactmember and also prevent the same from being removed by sliding parallelto the surface of the disk 31. The ends 37 of the arms :26 preventremoval of the cup in the direction of the axis of the spring. Pressureon the face 23 of the center contact results in a compression of thespring and a sliding of the arms 26 through the notches 36. Thismovement is terminated when the open edge of the cup comes intoengagement with the surface of disk 31.

The recess 19 has shoulders 40 spaced for the disk 31 to rest againstand thus take the thrust of the action of screwing a lamp into thesocket. A depression 4-2 allows the arms 26 to move inward when thespring 27 is compressed. The conductor strap is secured in position asshown in Fig. 2 by means of a screw 44; passing through the hole 45 inthe porcelain and being received in the terminal member 46 recessed inthe back of the porcelain block on the opposite side of the rib 47 fromthe terminal 17.

It will be seen that when a lamp has its base scij ewed into suchareceptacle the center contacton the base wilt-press against the surface23 of the cup and compress the spring and maintain it in compression sothat an excellent electrical contact is always obtained between thesetwo parts. At the same time the friction between these two partseffectively prevents a loosening of the lamp in the socket as a resultof vibrations and jars. The whole structure is exceedingly simple andcheap to manufacture.

Having thus described the invention What is claimed as new anddesired-to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In a center contact assembly fora lamp receptacle, in combination, aconductor strap having a disc-like end, a contact cup, arms extendingfrom the open end of said cup, said disc having notches to receive saidarms, inturn'ed ends on said arms to interlock said cup and disc and aspring in said cup and bearing on said disc.

2'. In a center contact assembly for a lamp receptacle, in combination,a conductor strap,

contact cup, arms extending from one end of said cup, said strap havingnotches to receive said arms, angled ends on said armsembracingsaidstrap to interlock the cup and strap and a spring in said cupbearing on said strap.

3. In a lamp receptacle, in combination, a body of insulating materialhaving a recess therein, a screw shell contact in said recess, a centercontact assembly in a depression in the bottom of said recess, saidassembly including a stationary part resting on the bottom of saidrecess and a movable part spring pressed away from said stationary part,said movable part having guides slidable to a position below saidstationary part, there being aportion of said insulating materialremoved from the bottom of said depression to give room for movement ofsaid guides.

4:. A center contact assembly for lamp receptacles including, incombination, a conductor strap adapted to receive a terminal at one end,a contact cup spaced from one face of the opposite end of said strap, aspring extending from .within said cup to said face, and a pair of armsextending from one of said members and slidably engaging the other. i

5. A center contact assembly for lamp receptacles including, incombination, a conductor strap adapted to receive a terminal at one end,a contact cup'spaccd from one face of the opposite end of said strap, aspring extending from within said cup to said face, and a pair of armsextending from one of said members and slidably engaging the other, saidarms having means thereon to engage the other member to limit theexpansion of said spring.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature.

DANIEL M. LE FEVER.

